Radiological Terrorism: Introduction

1
Radiological TerrorismIntroduction
2
Nuclear WMD

• Modern time weapons
• First used in WWII

3
Nuclear weapons testing, Bikini Atoll,
7/24/46 U.S. Department of Energy photograph.
4
Nuclear WMD

• Modern time weapons
• First used in WWII

5
Replicas of atomic bombs dropped over Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, Japan in 1945. National Atomic
Museum photograph
6
Military-Style Backpack, similar to one carrying
the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park Bomb, could
deliver a dirty bomb Federal Bureau of
Investigation photograph
7
Pros / Cons

• Advantages
• Highly disruptive

8
Pros / Cons

• Advantages
• Highly disruptive
• High fear / terror factor

9
Pros / Cons

• Advantages
• Highly disruptive
• High fear / terror factor
• Significant media profile

10
Pros / Cons

• Advantages
• Highly disruptive
• High fear / terror factor
• Significant media profile
• Nuclear bombs also have

11
Pros / Cons

• Advantages
• Highly disruptive
• High fear / terror factor
• Significant media profile
• Nuclear bombs also have
• Vast destructive power (destroys infrastructure)

12
Pros / Cons

• Advantages
• Highly disruptive
• High fear / terror factor
• Significant media profile
• Nuclear bombs also have
• Vast destructive power (destroys infrastructure)
• Effect (death and destruction) is immediate

13
Nuclear weapons testing, Operation Greenhouse,
May 8, 1951 at Enewetak. U.S. Department of
Energy photograph.
14
Pros / Cons

• Disadvantages
• Expensive to obtain/maintain

15
Pros / Cons

• Disadvantages
• Expensive to obtain/maintain
• Relatively short shelf life (7 years)

16
Pros / Cons

• Disadvantages
• Expensive to obtain/maintain
• Relatively short shelf life (7 years)
• Low level of control and containment

17
Pros / Cons

• Disadvantages
• Expensive to obtain/maintain
• Relatively short shelf life (7 years)
• Low level of control and containment
• Destroys infrastructure

18
Pros / Cons

• Disadvantages
• Expensive to obtain/maintain
• Relatively short shelf life (7 years)
• Low level of control and containment
• Destroys infrastructure
• High risk of detection

19
A U.S. Customs Inspector checks seaport
containers coming into the United States. U.S.
Department of Homeland Security photo by James
Tourtellotte
20
Pros / Cons

• Disadvantages
• Relatively short shelf life (7 years)
• Low level of control and containment
• Destroys infrastructure
• High risk of detection
• Radiation signature helps pinpoint source

21
Destructivity

• WMD far exceeds that of conventional, chemical,
  or biologic weapons

22
Destructivity

• WMD far exceeds that of conventional, chemical,
  or biologic weapons
• Dirty bombs lack real destructive power

23
Destructivity

• WMD far exceeds that of conventional, chemical,
  or biologic weapons
• Dirty bombs lack real destructive power
• Goal of the terrorist
• Harassment vs. death

24
Lethality

• Nuclear blast potential

25
Lethality

• Nuclear blast potential
• Kill tens of thousands of people

26
Lethality

• Nuclear blast potential
• Kill tens of thousands of people
• Small target area

27
Lethality

• Nuclear blast potential
• Kill tens of thousands of people
• Small target area
• Dirty bomb potential

28
Lethality

• Nuclear blast potential
• Kill tens of thousands of people
• Small target area
• Dirty bomb potential
• Few deaths

29
Lethality

• Weapon Grams
• Fuel-air explosives 320 million
• Mustard gas 3.2 million
• Sarin nerve gas 800,000
• A "crude" nuclear weapon 5,000
• Type A botulinal toxin 80
• Anthrax spores 8

30
CIA Reports on Former Soviet Union Source U.S.
Central Intelligence Agency
31
Availability

• Nuclear proliferation is a problem

32
Availability

• Nuclear proliferation is a problem
• Rogue nations may provide terrorist groups with
  both weapons and technical knowledge

33
Availability

• Nuclear proliferation is a problem
• Rogue nations may provide terrorist groups with
  both weapons and technical knowledge
• Fall of the Soviet Union left many unaccounted
  nuclear devices

34
Availability

• Nuclear proliferation is a problem
• Rogue nations may provide terrorist groups with
  both weapons and technical knowledge
• Fall of the Soviet Union left many unaccounted
  nuclear devices
• For sale on the black market

35
Availability

• Terrorist groups performing own research and
  development of nuclear weapons

36
Availability

• Terrorist groups performing own research and
  development of nuclear weapons
• Industry use of radiological materials provides
  the isotopes for dirty bombs

37
Availability

• Terrorist groups performing own research and
  development of nuclear weapons
• Industry use of radiological materials provides
  the isotopes for dirty bombs
• Power plant sabotage could produce massive dirty
  bombs

38
Delivery

• Suitcase bomb easily transported by person

39
Delivery

• Suitcase bomb easily transported by person
• 10 kiloton bomb readily moved by truck or boat

40
Delivery

• Suitcase bomb easily transported by person
• 10 kiloton bomb readily moved by truck or boat
• Radiation detection equipment might miss a small
  device

41
Underwater radiation detector U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency photo
42
The Terrorist Risk

• Five levels of risk

43
The Terrorist Risk

• Five levels of risk
• Threatened use, with no real capability to use
  them

44
The Terrorist Risk

• Five levels of risk
• Threatened use, with no real capability to use
  them
• Unsuccessful attempts to acquire NW

45
The Terrorist Risk

• Five levels of risk
• Threatened use, with no real capability to use
  them
• Unsuccessful attempts to acquire NW
• Actual possession of NW

46
The Terrorist Risk

• Five levels of risk
• Threatened use, with no real capability to use
  them
• Unsuccessful attempts to acquire NW
• Actual possession of NW
• Unsuccessful attempts to use NW

47
The Terrorist Risk

• Five levels of risk
• Threatened use, with no real capability to use
  them
• Unsuccessful attempts to acquire NW
• Actual possession of NW
• Unsuccessful attempts to use NW
• Successful use of NW

48
The Terrorist Risk

• Why havent we seen the use of NW by terrorists?

49
The Terrorist Risk

• Why havent we seen the use of NW by terrorists?
• Fear of severe backlash

50
The Terrorist Risk

• Why havent we seen the use of NW by terrorists?
• Fear of severe backlash
• More likely reasons

51
The Terrorist Risk

• Why havent we seen the use of NW by terrorists?
• Fear of severe backlash
• More likely reasons
• Difficult to acquire

52
The Terrorist Risk

• Why havent we seen the use of NW by terrorists?
• Fear of severe backlash
• More likely reasons
• Difficult to acquire
• Expensive

53
The Terrorist Risk

• Why havent we seen the use of NW by terrorists?
• Fear of severe backlash
• More likely reasons
• Difficult to acquire
• Expensive
• Difficult to maintain

54
The Terrorist Risk

• Why havent we seen the use of NW by terrorists?
• Fear of severe backlash
• More likely reasons
• Difficult to acquire
• Expensive
• Difficult to maintain
• High risk of detection

55
Defense

• Defensive capabilities are limited

56
Defense

• Defensive capabilities are limited
• Best defense

57
Defense

• Defensive capabilities are limited
• Best defense
• Reduce nuclear proliferation

58
Defense

• Defensive capabilities are limited
• Best defense
• Reduce nuclear proliferation
• Limit access to uranium and plutonium

59
Defense

• Defensive capabilities are limited
• Best defense
• Reduce nuclear proliferation
• Limit access to uranium and plutonium
• Improve surveillance and detection capabilities